Nestled in the shadow of Vermilion and red sandstone cliffs, Kanab’s Legends Weekend is a two-day Western-heritage spectacular bringing the Old West to life in small-town Utah. August 22 and 23, you won’t want to miss this fun-filled rural county weekend.
Starting at 11 AM on both Friday and Saturday at Jackson Flat Reservoir, the bustling vendor fair offers shopping goods, regional eats, and plenty of Western flair. Amid the stalls, you’ll encounter lively folk dancing, country-style music, and mountain tunes. Music pulses all weekend long, filling the air with toe-tapping Southern rhythms. A lineup of great music groups ranges from local favorites to our headliner band.
Paige & The Overtones—a Las Vegas–based country honky-tonk band fronted by Paige Overton, affectionately dubbed “The Angry Songbird”—bring high energy and heart. Joined by guitar phenom Jake Shepard, bassist Ryan Skat, and drummer Mari Erickson, the quartet delivers a potent mix of soulful vocals, twangy guitar work, and electrifying performances that pay homage to classic country while forging their own path. Catch them Saturday night, August 23, at Jackson Flat Reservoir.
Adding literary heft to the celebration, renowned cowboy poets take the stage, weaving rhymes of cattle drives, campfires, and desert nights. Their performances capture the rugged soul of the range. One of the featured poets is the infamous Andy Nelson, an energetic and high-spirited cowboy poet and humorist from Pinedale, Wyoming. A second-generation farrier, he spent his youth traveling the Great Basin with his father, shoeing horses for ranchers across southern Idaho, northern Utah, and northern Nevada. His deep roots in cowboy life lend authenticity to his storytelling.
Friday night, adrenaline takes over at the Kaneplex Arena with the Legends Rodeo—a full-throttle show featuring bull riding, bronc bucking, roping, barrel racing, and more. Saturday continues the momentum with the Leon Brinkerhoff Legends Remembered team-roping showdown, celebrating skill and camaraderie while the red cliffs glow in the evening light.
Beyond entertainment, Legends Weekend includes a variety of community events. The Kanab Center Quilt Show and annual Friends of the Library Book Sale invite quieter exploration. Downtown Kanab truly shines during this weekend. Browsing rustic boutiques, art galleries, and Western-themed shops is spellbinding when paired with views of towering red cliffs overhead.
One of the most enchanting elements is the stunning natural setting. Whether you’re hoofing it along the vendor fair, catching a rodeo rider’s final jump, or watching dancers swirl in folk routines, the red sandstone formations of Vermilion Cliffs and Grand Staircase frame every moment. Catch an offsite adventure with a guided or self-guided trip along Johnson Canyon Road, offering cinematic views—no wonder Hollywood chose Kanab as “Little Hollywood” for classics like Gunsmoke and The Outlaw Josie Wales.
Enjoy a salute to film heritage with short scene vignettes—complete with heroics, comedy, a damsel in distress, and high-noon shootouts for fun “short clip” productions.
With deep-rooted traditions of music, dance, rodeo, cowboy poetry, homegrown crafts, and theatrical storytelling, Legends Weekend blends lifestyle and entertainment in an authentic Western experience. It perfectly balances rowdy rodeo action with soul-soothing folk songs under the stars, all set within the warm hospitality of a welcoming small town.
It’s not just a festival—it’s a living tableau of Western heritage.
If you’re planning a summer getaway that delivers music, poetry, cowboy grit, handcrafted wares, live theatre, and red-rock scenery, Legends Weekend in Kanab is an ideal two-day immersion in Western charm. Saddle up—you’re invited to a frontier celebration where legends truly come to life. Learn more at visitsouthernutah.com/legends-weekend.